Case Study: BOLDLY Helps A Hong Kong Bank Reimagine Performance Management

Background

National Australia Bank (NAB) in Hong Kong was facing challenges with their existing performance management system. The HR team recognized the need for a fresh approach that would better align with the bank's evolving culture and employee expectations.

NAB Hong Kong sought to create a more dynamic, employee-centric performance management process that would foster continuous improvement and better engage their workforce.

BOLDLY's Approach

BOLDLY proposed a Human-Centered Design workshop to reimagine NAB's performance management approach. The workshop was structured around the Design Thinking model, guiding participants through each step:

1. Empathize: Understanding employee and manager pain points with the current system
2. Define: Clearly articulating the core problems to be addressed
3. Ideate: Generating innovative solutions to the defined problems
4. Prototype: Creating low-fidelity models of potential new processes
5. Test: Gathering feedback on prototypes from a diverse group of stakeholders

The Workshop

BOLDLY facilitated a collaborative two-day workshop with key members of NAB's HR team and representatives from various departments. The session employed a range of design thinking techniques, including:

• Empathy mapping
• Journey mapping
• "How Might We" question framing
• Rapid ideation exercises
• Storyboarding
• Role-playing potential scenarios

Outcomes

The workshop led to several significant outcomes:

1. A reimagined performance management framework that emphasized ongoing feedback and development
2. New tools for managers to facilitate more meaningful performance conversations
3. A simplified goal-setting process aligned with organizational objectives
4. An implementation roadmap for rolling out the new approach

Impact

NAB Hong Kong successfully relaunched its performance management program based on the workshop outcomes. The new approach has been well-received by employees and continues to be in use today, demonstrating its sustainability and effectiveness.

A HR Manager at NAB Hong Kong, commented on the experience:

Key Takeaways

1. Human-Centered Design can bring fresh insights to traditional HR processes
2. Collaborative workshops can generate buy-in and enthusiasm for change
3. Design thinking skills are valuable assets for HR professionals in today's rapidly evolving workplace
4. A well-designed performance management system can have lasting positive impacts on organizational culture and employee engagement

See BOLDLY’s approach to guided Design Thinking for HR workshops here, and reach out for a conversation about how we can collaborate with your team: https://boldly.app/design-thinking